This past week I had the great pleasure to travel across the country with Ashley, Jessica, Rebecca and Laura. It was a lot of fun and a very special time for me. As a father it is pretty rare to get the chance to drive with your kids across the country when they are older. I love each of their amazing personalities and their sense of self. Each of my children are such amazing people already as they grow to take the reins from my generation. Life cycles on and it is sometimes hard not to feel swept away with it. This week was an opportunity to slow it down and just enjoy and I did.
Part of the trip was a route through Missouri to places in church history I had never visited. We started in Independence, Missouri at the site of the new Jerusalem temple. The church has a visitor's center there which we really enjoyed. I had thought that the temple site itself was underneath the Community of Christ temple but it isn't. There isn't anything built on it at the moment. We walked the grounds of the temple, seeing its dimensions and I have to say it seems smaller than I imagined. I had pictured this massive building but although it is bigger than the Salt Lake Temple, it isn't that much bigger. The temple lot is owned by the Church of Christ Temple Lot folks. They were shut down when we arrived so we were a little bummed but we did at least get to see the lot.
After Independence we headed up to Liberty and just made it to see the Liberty Jail and take that tour. It is harrowing to see the small building where Joseph was imprisoned for all those months in the dead of winter. The room itself was so small that Joseph could not stand upright. There was no protection from the outside elements in what was one of the coldest winters on record up to that point. I love the prophet Joseph and felt an even greater closeness to him after witnessing the harrowing circumstances he survived in that little dungeon.
The highlight of the trip though for me was Adam Ondi Ahman. This is a simple valley with a few hills overlooking that had no tours or anything special to see but the spirit that resides there is so special. The Earth does not forget when the Savior has appeared in a place. I firmly believe that. To stand in a spot I knew had held the great meeting of Adam and all of his righteous posterity. A place where Adam had blessed his posterity and prophesied what would befall them down to our day. To know that the Savior had appeared there to comfort him. You literally can feel it. I had goosebumps as the missionaries told me of people who are feeling inspired to move close to the valley and how doors are opening to allow it. The church just built a large stake building to accommodate the increasing numbers. It is a very special place. There it is that the Lord will appear to his righteous saints and will prepare them for his second coming. He will call up the 144,000 and transfigure them, and send them out into the world to gather the remnants of his elect before the day of burning. I looked across that valley and pictured the people filling it. The sounds, the sights as they all looked up to Tower and Spring Hills to the place where the Savior and Adam will speak and all the holy prophets living and dead who will be there to make their report of an accounting of their keys. I got chills as I saw all of this in my mind and the spirit whispered that it was true.
As we pulled away I just thought in my mind that I wanted to do whatever is necessary to be there that day. I would regret for eternity being unworthy to be there and participate in that great gathering. No sacrifice is too great, I want to be surrounded by my family at that meeting, enjoying a brief moment of the fullness of joy that is promised the righteous. I can't wait for this and I am so grateful to be able to visit and know.
